Rain and Grief
by emeraldflame91
Summary: "As Hermione leans her head on his shoulder Ron briefly contemplates crying. He wonders if he should be more like his girlfriend, a soldier who wears her heart on her sleeve instead of marching on with a hardened, cold demeanor."


**Rain and Grief**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Harry Potter series or any of the characters. They belong to the amazingly talented Joanne Kathleen Rowling.

**Time Period:** This fic is set a few days after the final battle in Deathly Hallows. I'm referring to the book, not the film.

Author's Note: I accept full responsibility for any unintentionally butchered characterizations or potentially invalid views of the characters. This is my first time writing Ron/Hermione fanfiction.

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A torrent of May rain drums a frenzied, erratic beat on the castle's roof. This sound, steadfast and reliable like a heartbeat, comforts Ron, a fact that he considers odd. He has never been fond of the rain. As a child it prevented him from playing in the Burrow's gardens with Ginny and the twins. It acted as a burden and a bother. And Ron's spirit, even obstinate and lively at a young age, was never pleased when something (or someone) impeded on his desires.

Now the bother obscures him in a cloak of warmth and prevents his thoughts from meandering in directions that they shouldn't. If they do, Ron will have to succumb to the storm. He'll have to recognize its true nature, its ferocity and frigid cold. If Ron allows his thoughts to wander into that territory, unbidden and unwanted, he'll have to feel the pain: the raw and gnawing grief that will make his figure feel hollow, that will make him forget the carefree and lighter days of the past.

This idea unsettles him when he considers it. Why waste his time wallowing in misery? He would rather savor the joyful images that will always be entrapped in his memory, engraved in his soul.

_Pitter patter, pitter patter. _The rain's distinct song resounds in Ron's ears. He sinks further into the common room's scarlet couch. The squashy cushions concave like soft marshmallows beneath his body. Faint shuffling noises pierce the soothing silence, causing him to look up. Hermione is approaching the sofa. Once she reaches it she sits down beside him.

She doesn't say anything, but she doesn't need to. A single glance into her eyes tells Ron more than her words ever could. Her brown eyes are fogged over with desolation and anxiety and grief. This display of emotions is reasonable for her, he quietly asserts. She's a warrior in her own right and she's strong, but she has never feared vulnerability. In all the years that Ron has known her Hermione has never shied away from crying…

As Hermione leans her head on his shoulder Ron briefly contemplates crying. He wonders if he should be more like his girlfriend, a soldier who wears her heart on her sleeve instead of marching on with a hardened, cold demeanor.

Part of his mind validates the idea and tells him that feeling will help him grapple with his grief. But there's another part of him that refutes that argument. This voice encourages him to move along with a persevering heart. It tells him that Fred would want him to savor life and resist the urge to mourn excessively.

Ron allows these voices to argue for a few minutes. The winner exerts its dominance when he rests his head atop Hermione's. Tears trickle down his cheeks and flow into her soft, thick hair. Her arms weave around his back and she caresses it, gripping his shirt firmly. He doesn't question the sound of her sniffles and finds that clinging to her with equal desperation makes it easier for his tears to fall, for his emotions to pour forth in a way that he had scoffed at minutes earlier.

The rhythm of the rain is slow now, almost leisurely, and as Ron listens to it he realizes that he doesn't need to use it as a source of consolation. He needs the heart that beats within Hermione's chest and her unyielding warmth and support. He needs the hearts that beat within the chests of his remaining family members and friends. Only the living and the tangible will help him rebuild his life and the lives of the people who are suffering.

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Author's Note: This was written as an "e-present" for my friend Sarah on deviantART[dot]com. She requested a Ron/Hermione fanfic, so I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and accepted the challenge. :) I went into the project feeling a little scared, but I didn't let that drag me down. I just wrote from the heart like I always do and I think that resulted in a decent piece of R/Hr fanfiction. :D

I'm pretty proud of this fic in spite of its flaws. I like the hint of angst, the variety (yes, it IS about a couple, but Ron and his emotions take center stage. This isn't a fluffy fic either), and the overall mood in it. I'm also very proud of the ending. I'm making an effort to improve the endings in my fics and short stories and it's working so far! I could sit here and point out the flaws that I just mentioned in passing, but that wouldn't increase my self esteem, now would it? No, siree, it wouldn't. :P

**In spite of Ron and Hermione's evident love-hate relationship, I think they're very close. As a result, I think that Ron would be in tune with Hermione's emotions... to a certain extent. I'm under the impression that he would have a decent understanding of her due to their long term friendship. Feel free to disagree with me in the reviews if you'd like, but do so with decorum.**

If you have any other constructive criticism you may offer it, but do so in a **respectful manner** (as usual), and please let me know if you caught any typos that I missed. I'm tired over here and a few may have gone unnoticed by my heavy eyes.

Thanks for the support as always. Love you all! :)


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